Convertible bowling lane



Nov. 1l, 1969 R. szYMANsKl 3,477,719

CONVERTIBLE BOWLING LANE Filed June e. 1967 2 sheets-sheet 1 www.) Nm,

NOV 11, 1969 R. szYMANsKl y 3,477,719

CONVERTIBLE BOWLING LANE Filed June 6, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 N9 m W N'Qw if *f3 C W United States Patent O 3,477,719 CONVERTIBLE BOWLING LANERichard Szymanski, Muskegon, Mich., assignor to Brunswick Corporation, acorporation of Delaware Filed June 6, 1967, Ser. No. 643,984 Int. Cl.A63d 1/08, 1/04 U.S. Cl. 273--51 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Aconvertible gymnasium type floor for use in either a bowling game oralternatively for other purposes requiring a substantially continuoussurface, including means providing a planar playing surface, a pair oftroughs .on opposite sides of the playing surface located below theplane of the playing surface, and movable cover means for closing thetroughs, the cover means having one position providing a planar surfacein the plane of the playing surface, and another position exposing thetroughs to catch missiles leaving the playing surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Because of the elongated, narrow nature of abowling lane together with the fact that gutters must be provided onopposite sides of the lane bed and lane dividers located betweenadjacent gutters, it has heretofore been impossible to use the playingsurface of a bowling lane or a plurality of bowling lanes for anypurpose other than bowling. The irregularities in the total exposedsurface caused by the presence of the gutters and the lane dividers areobstacles to uses requiring a substantially continuous surface or theuse of temporary structures supported by the lane beds which may bedesirable in certain instances. For example, in the case of educationalinstitutions, it is often desirable to provide a number of bowling lanesthat the students may use for recreational purposes or as part ofphysical education instruction. Because of the space requirements ofbowling lanes and the obstacles mentioned above, the cost of erecting asuitable structure for housing the lanes and the fact that it can onlybe used for bowling may cause an educational institution to forego theinstallation of bowling lanes.

Thus, there has been a real need for some means that adds flexibility toa bowling lane structure so that the lane surfaces may be used for otherpurposes such as for other games or for supporting bleachers or the likesuch that the structure housing the lanes may be additionally used as anauditorium.

On the other hand, it is desirable to provide for varied use ofgymnasium floors and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a principal object of the invention toprovide a floor surface that is convertible for use in bowling games andfor other purposes.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a floorthat will provide a substantially continuous surface for nonbowling usesand yet will provide a bowling lane bed together with gutters and lanedividers when desired.

Another object is the provision of a convertible floor such as thatmentioned above including means defining at least one upper, planarplaying surface along which missiles such as bowling balls may bepropelled, means deiining a pair of troughs on opposite sides of theplaying surface and located below the plane of the playingsurface toreceive missiles leaving the playing surface, and means removablycovering the troughs and having ran upper planar surface in the plane ofthe playing surface so as to ICC provide a substantially continuoussurface that may be used for nonbowling purposes.

A further object is the provision of a. convertible surface such fasthat set forth in the preceding paragraph wherein the covering means arehingedly secured Iadjacent the troughs for pivotal movement to a secondposition wherein the covers are substantially vertically arrangedbetween adjacent gutters to provide lane dividers.

Yet another object is the provision of a convertible floor structuresuch as that set forth above wherein means are provided for moving thecovers between the position wherein they serve as lane dividers and theposition wherein they form the substantially continuous surface.

A still further object is the provision of a convertible oor such asthat set forth above wherein latching means are provided for latchingthe covers in the position wherein they provide the substantiallycontinuous surface.

Other objects :and advantages will become apparent from the followingdescription taken in -conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. l is a fragmentary plan view of aplurality of bowling lanes embodying the convertible floor means of theinstant invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross section taken approximately along the line2-2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken approximately along the line 3 3 ofFIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken approximately along the line 4-4 ofFIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A plurality of adjacent bowling lane beds 10 areillustrated in FIG. 1 and each includes an approach area, generallydesignated 12, a foul line 14 and a pin deck 16 having the customarypinspots 18 indicating the conventional triangular array of bowlingpins. At the end of deck 16 there may be a suitable pit farea whichforms no part of the present invention. Between adjacent lane beds 10`there is located a ilat nished floor strip 20 which has its uppersurface located in the plane of the lane beds 10. On opposite sides ofeach strip 20 lare gutter areas generally designated 22L and 22R, thegutter areas 22L being associated with the left side of a correspondinglane bed 10, while the gutter designated 22R is associated with theright side of the corresponding lane bed 10.

A plurality of gutter covers 24 are shown as overlying respectively eachcorresponding one of the gutter :areas 22R and 22L up to a pointadjacent the pin deck. Alongside the pin decks, the gutter tareas areexposed. The gutter covers 24 are pivotally mounted alongside eachassociated strip 20 for movement to a position wherein the gutter areas22R and 22L are exposed such that a ball may leave the lane bed 10 toenter the gutter. When the gutter covers 24 are positioned to cover thegutters 22R land 221 the upper surface of each gutter cover 24 islocated in a common plane with the upper surface of the lane beds 10`and the strips 20.

Conventional kickbacks 25 may be located on the portion of the surface20 adjacent the pin deck 16 between 'adjacent gutters and pin setterequipment (not shown) may be provided for each lane bed.

In a conventional bowling lane, the length of the lane :bed from thefoul line 14 to the rear of the pin deck 16 is sixty feet, and inpractice, the kickbacks 25 will only extend forward from the rear of thepin deck 16 a distance on the order of eight or nine feet. The kickbacks25, in addition to serving their usual function of preventing bowlingpins from flying into adjacent lanes when struck by a ball, may alsohouse the ramp for a conventional subway-type of bowling ball return. Asa result, a convertible floor made according to the invention may have awidth on the order of lifty feet or more depending upon the nature of`the approach 12 and a length determined by the number of lane bedsarranged side by side.

For moving the gutter covers 24 each between a position exposing thecorresponding gutter 22L or 22R and a position covering the same, eachgutter cover 24 is provided with an associated raising and loweringmechanism comprised of a motor operated winch 28 (FIG. 1), a cable 30, anumber of similar pulley arrangements 32 to be described in greaterdetail hereinafter, and a tensioning spring and switching device 34. Thedetails of the winch 28, the pulley arrangements 32, the spring andswitch device 34 and an appropriate electrical circuit for controllingthe winch are described in the co-pending application of Robert M.Conklin et al., entitled Carom Bowling Game, Ser. No. 434,430, led Feb.23, 1965, and assigned to the same assignee as the instant application,the details of which are herein incorporated by reference.

For present purposes, it is sucient merely to note that the winch 28includes a bi-directional motor which will either wind or unwind thecable 30 relative to a drum. The end of the cable 30 adjacent theapproach 12 is, in essence, stationarily secured and thus, operation ofthe winch 28 will either tend to increase or decrease the length ofcable 30 between the winch 28 and the spring and switch device 34.

Turning now to FIG. 2, for an understanding of the gutter covers 24, theoor 36 of the building housing the convertible bowling lane supports aframework including transverse sleeper members 38 and longitudinalstringer members 40 on edge which, in turn, provide support for the lanebeds 10, the strips and the gutter covers 24, so that the substantiallycontinuous surface provided by the three just mentioned elements israised a distance above the subfloor 36 of the building in which theyare located.

.Each of the lanes 10 is comprised of a plurality of individualside-by-side laminations as at 41, suitably secured together in aconventional manner to provide a smooth upper surface along which abowling ball or the like may be propelled. The laminations 41 arepreferably supported on transverse leveling strips as at 43 suitablysepaced longitudinally of the lane and in turn supported on stringers40.

At each of the suitable longitudinal intervals, a channel beam 42 spansadjacent Stringer members 40 of reduced height between lanes and at itscenter the beam supports strip 20 by a suitable securing means such asbolts 44, nuts 46 and spacer 47. The strip 20 is formed of a pluralityof board laminations 48 located side-by-side and elongated in thedirection running between the foul line 14 and the pin deck 16. Suitableplugs 50 formed of wood may be used to fill the apertures through whichthe bolts v44 pass in the surface 20.

The channel beam 42 additionally supports a conventional subway-type ofball return generally designated 52. In order to minimize the distancebetween the floor 36 and the continuous iloor surface provided by thestrip 20, the gutter covers 24 and the lane beds 10, the channel beam 42is preferably formed of three sections which are joined as by Welding.As illustrated in FIG. 2, the left most section 54 of the channel beam42 is associated with the right hand gutter area 22R of a lane bed 10while the right hand section 56 of the beam 42 is associated with theleft hand gutter area 22L of the lane bed 10 disposed just to the rightof the lane bed whose right hand gutter area is associated with the beamsection 54. The adjacent ends of the sections 54 and 56 are cutdiagonally as at 58 to provide clearance for a bowling ball 60 on thesubway return 52. A third section 62 of the beam 42 interconnects thesections 54 and 56 and is secured to the latter at their upper surfacesas by welding. In turn, section `62 supports surface 20.

Since the arrangement of a typical right hand gutter cover is a mirrorimage of a typical left hand gutter cover, only the latter will bedescribed. Each gutter cover 24 is formed of a plurality of laminatedboards 64 secured to each other in side-by-side relationship. Theunderside of each gutter cover 24 is defined by a relatively hatmetallic plate -66 having a C-shaped slot 68 adjacent one end thereof.Preferably, the plate 66, because of the requirement for the slot 68, isformed by extrusion.

Suitable securing means such as screws 70 interconnect the plate 66 tothe board 64 to form the gutter cover. The `C-shaped slot `68 receives athreaded T-shaped member 72 and by means of a bolt 74, a depending leverarm 76 is secured to the T-shaped member. At its lowest extremity, arm76 is povtally connected at 78 to a link 80 which has a bifurcated endcarrying a sheave 82. The bolts 74 are received in threaded apertures inthe T- shaped member 72 and when the bolts 74 are tightened, theresulting clamping action of the lever arm 76 and the T-shaped member 72against the edges of the C-shaped slot `68 firmly position the lever arm76 at a desired location along the length of the plate 66. Thearrangement including the lever 76 is repeated for each pulleyarrangement 32 along the length of the gutter cover.

As seen in FIG. 3, an upwardly opening channel section 83 is secured bymeans of bolts 84 to the section 56 of the beam 42. Returning now toFIG. 2, at the end of the channel 83 adjacent strip 20, the side wallsof the channel section 83 have upwardly extended tabs 86 and a pivot pin88 extends through both of tabs 86. An aperture 90 (FIG. 2) in one ofthe side walls of the channel section 83 is adapted to receive aninturned end 92 of a coiled torsion spring 94 through which the pivotpin 88 passes. As seen in FIG. 3, the other end 96 0f the coil spring 94is clamped to the underside of the plate v66 by means of a bracket 98and a bolt 100 to urge the gutter cover closed.

Between the sides of the channel section 83 and pivotally mounted on thepivot pin 88 is a hinge leaf 102 which is secured to the plate `66 inthe channel `68 by means of a T-member and associated bolts similar toT- member 72 and bolts 74. As a result of this construction, it will beappreciated that the gutter cover 24 is mounted for pivotal movementbetween the solid line position illustrated in FIG. 2 and the dottedline position illustrated in FIG. 2. It will be particularly observedthat in the solid line position, the gutter cover 24 acts in conjunctionwith the uppersurface of the lane bed 10 and the surface of strip 20 toprovide a substantially continuous surface, the upper surfaces of eachof these three elements being located substantially in a single plane.When the gutter is pivoted about the pivotal axis provided by pivot pin88 to the dotted line position illustrated in FIG. 2, the gutter is openand the underside of the gutter cover 24, namely the plate `66, isexposed to the lane bed 10.

Because the gutter cover 24 moves over center about the pivot pin 88when moving from the solid line position to the dotted line position,means are required to urge the gutter cover 24 back toward the solidline position. The described arrangement including the coil spring 88provides the requisite bias.

As best seen in FIG. 2, a concave gutter section 104 is located directlybelow the gutter cover 24 when the latter is in the closed solid lineposition illustrated in FIG. 2. The gutter section 104 may be formed ofa plate in any known manner and is secured by means of screws 106 to thesurrounding stationary structure. As a result, when the gutter covers 24are in the raised dotted line position shown in FIG. 2, it will beapparent that the lane bed 10 may be used for conventional bowling, andany balls leaving the lane bed 10 will be received by the gutter section104. Additionally, it will be observed that because of the uprightorientation of the gutter covers, 24, the latter will act as lanedividers.

In order to firmly hold the gutter covers 24 in a gutter coveringposition, a latch member 110 is pivotally mounted at 112 to a plate 114which is secured to one side of the upwardly opening channel section 83.This construction may be seen in both FIGS. 2 and 4. The upper end ofthe latch 110 includes a hook-like end 116 lwhich is adapted to overliethe plate 66 to thereby preclude the gutter cover 24 from being rotatedabout the pivotal axis provided by pivot pin 88. In order to facilitatelatching engagement between the hook-like end 116 and the plate 66, theendmost board 64 forming the gutter cover may include a small recess 118for receiving the hook-like end 116.

The latch member 110 is normally biased into a latching position bymeans of a spring 120 secured to the latch 116 above the pivot point 112and to one of the sides of the channel section 83. If desired, aplurality of latch members 110 may be provided at spaced intervals alongthe length of each gutter cover.

The lower end of the latch member 110 includes a horizontally directedportion 122 best seen in FIG. 4. A pivot pin 124 projecting through thehorizontal portion 122 journals a small sheave 126 for purposes thatwill be seen hereinafter. It is to be noted that the sheave 126 is belowthe pivotal axis provided by pivot pin 112.

The structure is completed by providing a horizontally extending plate130 (FIGS. 3 and 4) secured to the underside of the upwardly openingchannel section 83. The plate 130, at spaced locations, r/otatablyjournals a pair of sheaves 134 and 136, which, together with the sheave82 make up one pulley arrangement 32. The location of the sheaves 134and 136 with respect to each other is such that they are spaced adistance about equal to the diameter of the sheave 82 supported by thelever arm 76 and are located on either side thereof. As viewed in FIG.2, the sheaves 134 and 136 are located so that the peripheral surface ofthe sheave 126 is to the right of the peripheral surface of the sheaves134 and 136.

The cable 30 from its fixed end connected to the spring and switchmechanism 34 is strung first about a sheave 134, then the sheave 82,back around the sheave 136 and finally around the sheave 126, then tothe next pulley arrangement 32 where the cable 30 is similarly trainedaround the corresponding sheaves thereof. As a result, the winch 28 maybe operated under manual control as described in the aforementionedapplication of Conklin et al. to decrease the length of cable betweenthe spring device 34 and the winch 28, whereupon the sheave 82 will bedrawn towards the sheaves 134 and 136 and the sheave 126 will be movedslightly to the left as viewed in FIG. 2 thereby disassociating thehook-like end portion 116 of the latch 110 from the plate 66. Movementof the sheave 82 will cause correspondingmovement of the lever arm 76toward the right as viewed in FIG. 2, and as a result, the gutter cover24 will be pivoted upwardly to a lane dividing position.

When such a position is reached, the winch 28 will turn itself olf byoperation of the spring and notch assembly 34 as described in the abovecited Conklin et al. application, and the lane bed may be used forconventional bowling.

In the event it is desired to use the lane surface 10 for purposes otherthan bowling in conjunction with the upper surface of the gutter covers24 and the dividing surface 20, the winch 28 may be manually started ina reverse direction as described in said Conklin et al. application topay out cable. As soon as tension on the cable 30 is released, theaction of the spring 94 tends to bias the gutter cover 24 to the solidline position shown in FIG. 2, pivoting the gutter cover 24 about thepivot pin 88 as rapidly as the winch 28 pays out cable. Eventually, theunder surface of the plate 66 will strike the hook-like end portion 116of the latch member 110 thereby pivoting the latter in a clockwisedirection about pivot pin 112 until the plate 66 has been loweredsuiciently such that the hook-like end portion 116 will enter the recess118 thereby firmly latching the gutter cover 24 in the solid lineposition illustrated in IFIG. 2. At this point, further pay out of cableby the winch 28 will cause slack in the cable, and the winch 28 willautomatically be turned off as described in the aforesaid Conklin et al.application.

In order to insure lirm seating of the rightmost edge of -the cover 24as viewed in FIG. 2, a plurality of spaced stops 140 are located just tothe right of the gutter section 104 and have upper surfaces 142 thatabut and support the edge of the plate 66.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have provided aconvertible oor surface that is usable for bowling or bowling-like gamesas well as other games or even non-game purposes.

While I have described the specific embodiment of my invention forexemplification purposes, I do not wish to be limited to the details setforth, but rather, to have my invention construed broadly in accordancewith its true spirit as set forth in the following claims I claim:

1. A floor convertible for alternative use as a plurality of bowlinglanes and as a substantially continuous surface for other usescomprising: means defining a plurality of parallel elongated bowlinglane beds each having upper bowling surfaces substantially in a singlehorizontal plane; means defining a plurality of gutters, two for eachlane bed, arranged on opposite sides thereof and having upper, ballreceiving surfaces located below said horizontal plane; and a pluralityof gutter covers, one for each gutter, and having a planar surface; andmeans pivotally mounting each said gutter cover adjacent the edge of theassociated gutter opposite the lane bed with which the gutter isassociated for movement between a first position wherein each said coveroverlies its associated gutter with said planar surface in saidhorizontal plane whereby said bowling surfaces and said planar surfacesprovide said substantially continuous surface, and a second positionwherein the corresponding ball receiving surface may receive ballsleaving said bowling surface with said cover acting as a lane dividerbetween the lane bed with which it is associated and the adjacent lanebed.

2. A floor according to claim 1 wherein means are provided forselectively moving each of said covers between said first and secondpositions.

3. The floor of claim 1 further including means for latching said coversin said first position.

4. The floor of claim 1 further including means for biasing said coverstoward said first position.

5. A convertible structure for alternative use in games wherein missilesare propelled along an elongated missile supporting surface or for otherpurposes requiring a substantially continuous surface, said structurecomprising: means defining at least one upper, planar playing surfacealong which missiles .may be propelled; means defining a pair of troughson both sides of said playing surface and located below the plane ofsaid playing surface to receive missiles leaving said playing surface,means removably covering said troughs in one position and having anupper planar surface adapted to lie in said plane when said `coveringmeans are covering said troughs whereby said upper planar surfacesprovide said substantially continuous surface; and means secured to saidcovering means and mounting the same for movement between said oneposition and a second position wherein said troughs are not covered.

-6. The structure of claim 5 further including means for latching saidcovering means in said one position.

7. The structure of claim 5 wherein. said mounting means includes apivotal connection between said cover means and a stationary structureadjacent said playing surface.

8. A gutter cover and -lane divider system for a gutter of a bowlinglane comprising: an elongated member having a rst planar surface adaptedto form a portion of a substantially continuous surface and meansproviding a second planar surface and adapted to serve as a lane dividerbetween adjacent bowling lanes having two opposed elongated sides; hingemeans having a first portion secured to said member and a second portionpivotally connected to said first portion for movement about an axisadjacent one of said sides and adapted to be secured to a stationarystructure adjacent a bowling lane; at least one arm depending from saidmember adjacent said one side; latch means adapted to be movably mountedon a stationary structure adjacent said bowling lane and movable to aiii-st position to latchingly engage said member and to a secondposition to release said member; means biasing said latch means towardsaid irst position, and means interposed between said arm and said latchmeans for moving said latch means to said second position and forpivoting said member about said axis.

9. The gutter cover and lane divider system of claim 8 further includingspring means biasing said member toward a position wherein it may beengaged by said latch means.

10. The gutter cover and lane divider system of claim 8 wherein saidlatch means comprises at least one latch adapted to be pivotally mountedintermediate its ends and said moving means comprises a iirst sheavesecured to an' end of said latch, a second sheave secured to said armand a flexible member trained about said sheaves.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ANTON O. `OECHSLE, PrimaryExaminer M. R. PAGE, Assistant Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 52-69

